Changing Perspectives — Changing Lives

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51 Water Street, Suite 206, Watertown, MA 02472

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Writing Measurable IEP Goals

Date: (choose one) Jan. 31 or April 25, 2012
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Instructor: Brenda Dater, MPH, MSW
Learn More and Register

This workshop will provide practical information about how to write IEP goals and objectives that meet your child’s needs. We will clarify the main areas that are usually covered in an IEP of a student with AS or a related diagnosis. These may include social-emotional, social pragmatics, sensory needs, self-regulation, self-advocacy, written expression, executive functioning, organization and planning, and independence. We will examine sample goals and objectives from real IEPs, to determine if the goals and objectives are measurable. You will leave with the tools you need to analyze your child’s current IEP, and to develop goals and objectives that are easy to understand, implement and measure.

Welcome to the Teen Years: Is it Asperger's or Is It Adolescence?

Dates: February 3, 2012
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Instructor: Erika Drezner, MSW
Learn More and Register

Parents often ask two big questions about their teens: “Who is this person living in my house?” and “Is this behavior because of Asperger’s or is this what all teens are like?” This workshop will address both those questions. We will cover adolescence and puberty and the special challenges it presents for teens with AS, as well as what you can do to help your teen meet those challenges. We will also address parent-teen relationships and offer strategies to strengthen communication between teens and parents. Lastly, we will focus on the information you need in these years to aid in your teen’s transition to adult life, and how we at AANE can help.

Special Education Law: Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

When: February 8, 2012; 7-9pm
Where: AANE Office in Watertown
Presented by Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Learn More and Register

This workshop will help parents understand the rights and procedures that ensure children with ASD receive educational opportunities reflecting competency and potential. The workshop will address current trends, legal standards, some court cases, evaluation rights and procedures, and special education service options for children with ASD. The workshop will emphasize specific legal requirements, which ensure that children with ASD receive educational services to meet their unique needs and allow them to reach their potential.

“So, Are We Supposed to Hug Now?”

Presented by David and Kristen Finch
When: Saturday February 11, 2012 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST
Where: AANE Office in Watertown
Learn More and Register

Love is blind—marriage is the eye-opener. There is universal truth in this timeless quote from Pauline Thomason, and it rings especially true for anyone sharing an intimate, romantic relationship with an AS partner.

Parent to Parent Topic Discussion:
Siblings

Date: February 13
Time: 7:00-8:30pm; parent-to-parent networking 8:30-9:00pm
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Facilitator: Brenda Dater, MPH, MSW
Learn More

Understanding the Asperger Syndrome IEP Process

Date: February 28, 2012
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Instructor: Jean Stern, M.Ed.
Learn More and Register

This workshop is designed to empower parents as advocates for their children in the IEP (Individual Education Plan) process. It will provide you with a foundation of knowledge, practical strategies and effective approaches to working with your child’s school in a collaborative and productive way. You will learn about IEPs, services needed in school, and Massachusetts law. It will also address the needed non-academic skills such as: social, self-advocacy, independent living, generalization, and organization. You will leave with a worksheet for IEP planning that you can use each year.

Perspectives on College Life
for Teens and Parents of Teens

When: March 4, 2012; 2-4pm
Where: AANE Office in Watertown
Learn More and Register

Are you a teen who is considering/planning to attend college (or are you the teen's parent), and maybe you've been wondering:

• What are the best and hardest parts of college for a student with Asperger Syndrome?
• Should I talk about Asperger Syndrome in my college essay, or not?
• Should I pick a community college and live at home, or live on campus at a four-year college?
• Should I ask for a single room?
• How can I make friends at college?

To get answers to these and other questions, come hear a panel presentation by local college personnel, college students with Asperger Syndrome, and parents of current college students or recent grads. Each family attending will receive an information packet on transition resources, colleges, and other post-secondary programs.

"What Can I Say?" "What Did You Say?"
Using Language to Build Social Skills

Presented by Elsa Abele, CCC SLP
Dates: March 5 & 6, 2012
Time: Check-in 8:30 - 9 AM; Workshop 9 AM - 4 PM
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Fees (includes morning coffee and light lunch each day):
$265 - AANE member $340 - Non-member (includes new one-year membership/renewal)
Learn More and Register (or print and mail PDF)

Understanding Asperger Syndrome: Interventions and Strategies for Parents

Dates: (choose one) March 12, May 14, July 9
Time: 7-9:30pm
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Instructor: Nancy Schwartz, MSW
Learn More and Register

This workshop, designed for families of newly diagnosed children or teens, describes in detail and through real-life examples some of the most common characteristics of Asperger Syndrome (AS). It also includes basic information about behavioral issues, parenting strategies, disclosure and school concerns. It offers "first step" help for parents as they begin their journeys as parents of a wonderfully quirky, socially awkward, sometimes precocious, often challenging children with AS.

Current Research: Implications for the Asperger Community

When: March 16th, 2012
Where: Northeastern University, Boston, MA

Six local and national researchers discuss their research and the implications of that research for those with Asperger Syndrome.

Sponsored by AANE, MGH YouthCare, & Northeastern University

Practical Strategies to Promote Your Child's Success at School

Dates: March 20, 2012
Time: 10am - 12 noon
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Instructor: Lynne Mitchell, MSW
Learn More and Register

Fewer Meltdowns! Practical Strategies for Fostering Positive Behavior in Children and Teens with Asperger Syndrome

Dates: March 27, 2012
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Instructor: Brenda Dater, MPH, MSW
Learn More and Register

This workshop is designed to offer parents practical strategies to make home life function more smoothly. Come learn how you can help your child or teen increase his/her ability to stay calmer and cope better with frustration, get along better with others, think more flexibly, solve everyday problems, and transition with less trauma.

Helping Your Child and Teen Make Friends

Dates: April 2, 2012
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Instructor: Erika Drezner, MSW
Learn More and Register

Many parents report that their children have difficulty making friends and maintaining friendships. This workshop will address the reasons our kids have difficulty with this particular set of skills, and how parents can help their children learn these skills. We will take parents step by step through the process, from the types of friendships, to where to meet potential friends, to planning a get-together with a friend. We will cover the skills children need to socialize successfully, and what to do when conflicts arise in a friendship. Special attention will also be paid to your experience as a parent guiding your child.

Parent to Parent Topic Discussion:
Transitioning to a New School or Program

Date: April 10
Time: 7:00-8:30pm; parent-to-parent networking 8:30-9:00pm
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Facilitator: Brenda Dater, MPH, MSW
Learn More

Practical Strategies for Helping Teens Become More Independent and Responsible

Date: May 1, 2012
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Instructor: Lynne Mitchell, MSW
Learn More and Register

As teens move through middle and high school, they need to become more independent and responsible within the family, at school and out in the broader community. This class will focus on specific strategies you can begin implementing immediately to help your teen develop into a more independent, engaged, confident and responsible adult.

Parent to Parent Topic Discussion:
Practical Strategies for Dealing with Chronic Stress

Date: May 7
Time: 7:00-8:30pm; parent-to-parent networking 8:30-9:00pm
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Facilitator: Brenda Dater, MPH, MSW
Learn More

Financial Planning for the Future of Your Child with Special Needs

When: May 22, 2012; 7-8:30pm
Where: AANE Office in Watertown
Fees: $40 AANE member, $55 Non-member
Presenters: Presented by Dave Harmon and Ken Shulman
Learn More and Register

What will happen to your son/daughter once you are gone, or if you should become seriously ill or disabled? Do you have a will or a special needs trust? When it comes to these legal and financial decisions, many families feel too confused and overwhelmed to take appropriate action--but it doesn't have to be so scary! Come learn more about your options from a lawyer and a financial planner who understand the special needs of our families with children with Asperger Syndrome.

Bike Riding 101 for Parents

Date: May 31, 2012
Time: 7:00-8:30pm
Location: AANE Office in Watertown
Fees: $40 AANE member, $55 Non-member
Facilitator: Brenda Dater, MPH, MSW
Learn More and Register

Each spring and summer parents ask us how they can help their children learn to ride a bike. Bike riding is a complex skill. In this workshop you will learn how to break down the process into manageable steps that support success. You will leave with a detailed plan for helping your children learn to enjoy bike riding.